UPTOWN Magazine

10/03/2025

“I can’t change the past but can change the future. I ask your honor for mercy. I beg your honor for mercy, to be a father again, a son again and be a leader in my community again and get the help I desperately need. […]

“(My children) need me, they’re scared and I’m scared. I have nobody to blame but myself. I will never put my hands on another person again. I have learned my lesson. […]

“My actions were disgusting, shameful and sick. I was sick, sick from the drugs. I was out of control, I needed help and I didn’t get the help and I cannot make no excuse because my mother taught me. You taught me better. You raised me better.

“I got lost in my dream of life. I am not this larger-than-life person. I am just a human being, I was trying my best, I got lost in my excess.”

—Sean “Diddy” Combs speaks at length during his sentencing hearing on prostitution-related charges in a New York City federal court. The disgraced entertainment mogul has been ordered to serve 50 months in prison and five years of supervision upon release. Diddy has been credited with 12 months on his sentence.

Court illustration: REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

10/01/2025

Today we remember Assata Shakur—her legacy, her courage, and above all, her words.

🖤 UPTOWN Magazine’s new piece shares 7 of her sharpest quotes, ones that demand reflection and action. From “a wall is just a wall and nothing more at all” to affirmations of freedom, resistance, and identity—you’re reminded that truth isn’t optional, it’s vital.

Her voice lives in each quote, inspiring anyone who refuses to settle for injustice. Let’s honor her life by carrying forward her vision for liberation.

Read, reflect, share.

Assata Shakur's most powerful quotes are timeless calls to truth and liberation that will continue to inspire generations.

09/30/2025

🍂 Raise your glass to autumn vibes 🍁

UPTOWN Magazine just dropped the ultimate fall cocktail guide — 8 elevated recipes blending warm spices, seasonal fruit, and cozy sophistication. From a honey-kissed hot toddy to a bold Negroni, these drinks are made for crisp nights, festive gatherings, and sweater-weather sipping. 🥃✨

Curious which one you’ll try first? See all eight and start your autumn cocktail journey here: Sip into the Season with 8 Fall Cocktails

These fall cocktails bring warmth and comfort, made for chilly evenings and gatherings that call for a little festive cheer.

09/30/2025

Assata Shakur’s name is a song of resistance, her life a testament to survival, her words a light carried through generations.

She reminds us that freedom is not a gift, but a constant struggle — a dream we shape with our hands, our voices, our courage.

Assata is proof that even in exile, truth travels farther than borders.

Today, we honor her legacy. Tomorrow, we keep building the world she imagined. 🖤

09/29/2025

From watching his grandmother style Hollywood’s elite to becoming Dr. Dre’s personal barber for 30+ years, Kenny Hailey has built a legacy of artistry, faith, and humility. ✂️✨

He didn’t hustle by advertising—his craft, reputation, and word-of-mouth brought him from L.A. salons to grooming A-list clients like architects, musicians, and more. Beyond the clippers, he’s known for staying grounded: riding Vespas, Jeeps, and now Triumphs, cherishing time with his daughters, and preparing to become a grandfather.

Read his inspiring journey, filled with lessons in gratitude, excellence, and legacy.

From Dr. Dre’s barber to grooming A-listers worldwide, Kenny Hailey blends artistry, faith, and gratitude into an inspiring legacy.

09/19/2025

Tamika D. Mallory has never shied away from speaking truth to power. Now, she’s telling her own truth in her gripping new memoir I Lived to Tell the Story: A Memoir of Love, Legacy, and Resilience.

From navigating teen pregnancy to mourning the loss of loved ones, overcoming addiction, and finding healing, Mallory lays it all bare. More than a book, it’s a reckoning filled with honesty, hope, and solidarity for those who’ve faced battles behind closed doors.

This is not just her story—it’s a movement toward healing. ✨📚

Tamika D. Mallory’s memoir I Lived to Tell the Story is a raw journey of love, loss, and resilience—truth told, healing found.

09/19/2025

✨ Two decades ago, Raheem DeVaughn dropped The Love Experience, changing the game with soulful storytelling, raw vulnerability, and romance in every note. Today he honors that legacy with The Love Experience: 20th Anniversary Mixtape Edition, curated with DJ Lil Mic. 🎶

From standout tracks like “Guess Who Loves You More” and “Believe” to lush instrumentation and poetic lyrics, this isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a reminder of why his voice still resonates. 👏🏾

Soul never goes out of style. Here’s to 20 years of love, truth, and music that feels like home.

Twenty years on, Raheem DeVaughn’s reimagined The Love Experience mixtape takes fans back while reminding us why his soulful storytelling still resonates.

09/18/2025

🔥 Jemele Hill didn’t hold back. After Megyn Kelly’s jab about her appearanc, Hill fires back with truth, pride, and a face card that “ain’t never been declined.”

This isn’t just shade. It’s a moment about how Black women are too often judged by looks, not their ideas. Hill calls out that double standard, owning her natural self and refusing to let judgment define her.

You may not agree with everything she says, but this energy? It’s unavoidable. 🙌🏿

Jemele Hill reads Megyn Kelly with fire, pride, and unfiltered truth for Kelly's "ugly" jab: "This face card ain’t never been declined."

09/16/2025

Creating a legacy as business owners is so much more than just passing down wealth to your children. Learn more ways to make an impact in this piece Northwestern Mutual produced with UPTOWN Magazine.

Your business story deserves a strong ending. With the right plan, you can protect your legacy, and put your money where it matters.

09/11/2025

From boardrooms to 7 World Marathon Majors 🌍🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️ Mamie Coleman and Towalame Austin run for healing, sisterhood, and impact.

From boardrooms to marathons, Mamie Coleman and Towalame Austin prove women can do it all—leading, healing, and running the world.

09/09/2025

From the Screen to the Page… and Now the Top Shelf

Malcolm D. Lee—best known for The Best Man franchise—is flipping the script (and the bottle). In UPTOWN Magazine’s latest Martha’s Vineyard Issue, he shares how this summer marked the debut of his first novel, The Best Man: Unfinished Business—the opening volume of a bold new trilogy—and the launch of Sable Bourbon, a spirit infused with brotherhood and class.

What’s so compelling? Lee’s evolution doesn’t feel forced—it’s organic. He’s taken the characters and themes fans love and let them guide his next creative chapters—from heartfelt storytelling to “Bottled in Brotherhood” vibes. That’s legacy building at its finest.

Here’s to stories that keep unfolding and to sipping milestones that feel like home. 🥂✨

Check out the full feature on UPTOWN Magazine to get the inside scoop on his vision for the trilogy, his philosophy on authenticity, and why Martha’s Vineyard grounds it all.

Malcolm D. Lee is turning the page to a bold new chapter with a debut novel and a luxury bourbon brand.

09/05/2025

See photos from the UPTOWN Vineyard House Tuesday’s UPTOWN Vineyard House Tuesday’s panel, poolside yoga, Tennessee Night party.

See photos from the UPTOWN Vineyard House Tuesday's UPTOWN Vineyard House Tuesday's panel, poolside yoga, Tennessee Night party.